Mitchell Lewis Ditkoff - Awake at the Wheel: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an Uphill World)

Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an Uphill World)

MITCHELL LEWIS DITKOFF

M ORGAN J AMES P UBLISHING NEW YORK

Copyright 2008 Mitchell Lewis Ditkoff

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from author or publisher (except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages and/or show brief video clips in review).

Library of Congress Control Number 2007935671

ISBN: 978-1-60037-295-7 (Paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-60037-296-4 (Hardcover)

Whatever you can do,
or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power
and magic in it.

Goethe

A superb catalyst for anyone with the urge to bring their best ideas into reality.

Tim Gallwey, Author of Inner Game of Tennis
and Winner Game of Work

Og may have invented the wheel, but Mitch Ditkoff has created a GPS for the innovation process. Awake at the Wheel is a witty and inspiring roadmap for the journey from ideas to invention!

Donna Fenn, Author, Alpha Dogs: How Your Small Business
Can Become a Leader of the Pack

This easy to read allegory reinvents and refreshes our thinking about what it takes to move from inspiration to actualization. I highly recommend Mitchs deep thinking to all who would bring their Big Ideas into the harsh and resistant Real World.

Dr. Barry Gruenberg, Director of Leadership Development,
Microsoft Corporation

A highly accessible alchemists stone for aspiring innovators.

Joyce Wycoff, Co-founder of Innovation Network,
President of ThinkSmart Learning Systems

Awake at the Wheel illuminates! Its the perfect book for those of us who have felt the excitement of the aha moment only to experience the frustration that comes when no one sees the brilliant light bulb above our head. Mitch Ditkoff takes us on an engaging journey that re-imagines how to turn an idea into great success and makes it suddenly seem easy.

Melinda McLaughlin, SVP, A&E Television Networks

Entertaining and inspiring.

Chuck Frey, Founder, Innovation Tools

Cheese, Fish and Peacocks are so last century when Og (aka Mitch Ditkoff) is at the wheel! Awake at the Wheel packs so much into such a deceptively whimsical story that it comes together in a perfect storm of innovation that speaks to everyone. If you need to get your creative juices flowing (or your teams), read this book immediately.

Debbie Weathers, Organizational Learning, Merck

Want to jump start your creative self? Awake at the Wheel is a delightful story that engages, entertains, and elevates your thinking about innovation.

Leslie Yerkes, Author, Fun Works: Creating Places
Where People Love to Work

A light-hearted tour through the world of ideas: how to let them in, nourish them, and manifest them to a waiting world. Mitch (and Og) are here to help you do as you dream.

Erika Andersen, Founder of Proteus International and
author of Growing Great Employees

In Awake at the Wheel, Mitch Ditkoff takes storytelling to new levels of entertainment, practicality, and wisdom. This little tome is packed with powerful lessons, direction, and advice for anyone attempting to turn their ideas into reality.

Farrell Reynolds, Former Director of Sales, Turner Broadcasting

Through an artful and engaging use of story, metaphor, and a practical toolkit, Awake at the Wheel provides a very accessible, yet thoroughly original guide about what it takes to create breakthroughs, from idea generation to execution. Mitch Ditkoff is an educator who embodies his message completely by teaching about innovation innovatively.

Michael A. Chavez Jr., Managing Director, Duke Corporate Education

Go ahead and hug your employees by giving them Awake at the Wheel and creating a company culture that fosters, develops, and celebrates the best of their ideas!

Jack Mitchell, Author of Hug Your Customers and Hug Your People

A fun fable from the past with profound implications for the future. For those who think BIG IDEAS, peek inside for the most powerful business tools Ive found.

Joe Belinsky, Professor, Kent State University

A fantastic little book on ideas.

Rick Frishman, President, Planned TV Arts
and Co-Author of Author 101

This amusing, playful book describes with uncanny familiarity The Creative Persons Journey. If youve ever had an idea you wanted to bring into being, youll love Awake at the Wheel!

David Garfinkel, Founder, World Copywriting Institute and
Author of Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich

Anyone whos ever taken a shower has had a great idea. Unfortunately, most ideas vaporize in the shower along with the steam. Awake at the Wheel shows how to nurture great ideas and turn them into reality. This unique and playful book has a serious message: Ideas are gifts deserving of our respect. That means knowing how to cultivate and manifest them. Read Awake at the Wheel, and dont let your next great idea get away!

Larry Pinci & Phil Glosserman, Authors of Sell the Feeling:
The 6-Step System that Drives People to Do Business with You

Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come. The time has come for this book and Mitchell Ditkoff has put it into words. He has done a masterful job.

Jay Conrad Levinson, The Father of Guerrilla Marketing,
Author, Guerrilla Marketing series of books
with over 15 million sold; now in 43 languages

There are over six billion brains thinking on earth at this moment. If just a tiny fraction of those brains were exposed to Awake at the Wheel.....the world would be alot easier for all of us to enjoy. Everybody has the potential to be creative and make an impact. We just need to spark our brain into action. Mitchell Ditkoff provides a great tool to make that spark happen.

Neil Shulman MD, Author and Associate Producer
Doc Hollywood

Awake at the Wheel would not exist without the loving support of many wonderful people in my life. My heartfelt thanks to all of them. My teacher, Prem Rawat (aka Maharaji), for showing me the timeless place beyond ideas Barney and Sylvia for bringing me into the world Evelyne for all her love and support Jesse and Mimi for being such awesome kids Steve Ornstein for being my Ugh Val Vadeboncoeur for his sense of humor Ron Brent for his timeless perspective Scott Cronin for his soulful friendship Erika Andersen for her clarity Nancy Seroka for taking care of business Tim Moore for his generosity of spirit Carl Frankel, Barbara Bash, Hudson Talbott, and Pat Anderson for their feedback and encouragement Steve McHugh for co-founding Idea Champions Michael Schacker for Ingenuity Bank Bill Shockley for opening doors Jon Lloyd for his kindness Bill Ross for his idea for a better ending Rachel Campbell for her book design David Hancock, Wes Taylor, Margo Toulouse, and all the wonderful people at Morgan James Publishing for getting this book into your hands.